This invention relates to a machine for applying terminals to the stripped ends of wire leads by aligning a stripped wire end with a terminal and crimping the terminal onto the wire end by pressing a die against an anvil with the terminal and stripped wire end positioned therebetween. In particular the invention relates to machines wherein an actuator operates the die by means of a link having an adjustable length.
Existing terminal applicator machines having the link arrangement as referred to above have generally been difficult to set up or reset for particular job runs. One such terminal applicator is disclosed in Andren, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,664. It is generally known that the length of the link must be adjusted once on assembly and setup. Fine adjustments may then have to be made before each run. It has also been generally true that to adjust the length of the link, a cumbersome and time consuming adjustment procedure was required, including loosening two lock nuts, turning a threaded rod for the actual length adjustment, and retightening the two lock nuts. In addition, this length adjustment procedure was followed on a trial and error basis, usually involving more than one try before the proper length setting was achieved. It can be clearly seen then that adjusting the machine, using the cumbersome length adjustment procedure described above, would result in substantial machine down time. It is apparent that a better method of adjustment for the length of this link is needed.
This invention relates to improvements to the apparatus and inventions described above and to solutions to the problems raised thereby.